The Guyana government has confirmed that US authorities have suspended the operations of the low cost budget carrier, EZjet.

Aviation Minister Robeson Benn told a news conference that the Department of Transport had suspended the airline's operations on Thursday and local authorities only learnt of the move on Friday.

He said as a result, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has suspended Ezjet's operations out of this Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.

One media report said that President Donald Ramotar has instructed Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali to work towards minimizing the effects on passengers.

It said that irate passengers had stormed EZJet New York Office after word of the suspension spread.

Officials said that the US had decided to suspend Ezjet operations because the airline owes huge sums to the aircraft lease company. The move by the US has resulted in a number of flights being cancelled.

The suspension comes less than a month after the airlines founder and chief executive officer, Sonny Ramdeo, has been sued by a hospital chain for alleged embezzlement.

Since my former bosses are themselves in court over diversion of over US$550 million of company funds, they elected to claim ignorance and innocence when it came to coming clean about the investment, Ramdeo said in a press release.

Instead they alleged that I diverted funds to EZjet, which I did not. In the interest of removing all doubt about the viability of EZjet I am removing myself from EZjet management, he added.